The present invention relates to furniture, and more particularly to a desk having a hidden return.
The design of a desk can have a significant impact on the efficiency and productivity of an individual. A particularly important characteristic of a desk is the mount of work surface available for use. Increased work surface reduces the mount of shuffling necessary to view multiple items. Perhaps the simplest way to increase a desk's work surface is to provide the desk with a larger desktop. However, this simple approach increases the size of the desk possibly making it too large for use in locations where space is restricted. Further, portions of a large desktop may be outside the reach of the occupant.
In an effort to balance the desire for increased work surface and minimal size, some conventional desks have been provided with one or more pullout boards (also known as writing slides or reference slides) that are slid open to increase the desk's available work surface. Pullout boards are typically located at the top of each drawer pedestal where they can be slid in and out to selectively provide additional work surface. The pullout boards are often supported on rails or runners that allow easy movement of the boards. Conventional rails and runners do not provide sufficient strength for the pullout boards to support heavy objects. Further, pullout boards have a tendency to slant downward as they are drawn out from the pedestal. Pullout boards are also limited in size roughly to the width and depth of the drawer pedestal.